PF is fuelling violence in Mpongwe

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:34:36 +0000

The UPND on the Copperbelt has accused the ruling PF of fuelling violence as campaigns in the forth coming by-elections in Mpongwe heat up.

Party members who sought anonymity for fear of victimisation revealed to the Daily Nation that the ruling PF had a meeting where they discussed that some Jerabos would be brought to Mpongwe to sort out those that belonged to the opposition political parties.

They said during a meeting some known PF members revealed that the party was going spend about K100 million (KR 100,000) to sponsor over a hundred PF Jerabos to come and intimidate the electorates in Mpongwe.

The party members said they were concerned at the plans by the ruling party to use external cadres and their plans to terrorise the people.

They said the scheme by the ruling party was in bad faith as most people were scared for their lives as these Jerabos were up to no good.

“There was a meeting where the PF cadres were strategising and they planned that over a 100 Jerabos from Kitwe would be ferried to Mpongwe and that they had set aside about K100 million for the exercise.

“It was agreed that these PF cadres will start coming on the 20th through to the 22nd of this month and be in Mpongwe until after the by-elections on the 28th. The aim is to use these thugs to terrorise the people in Mpongwe who did not believe in the policies of the ruling party.

“The ruling party cadres started intimidating and beating up people on the day of nominations and on Wednesday this week, the cadres where in Kalweo were several residents were beaten and some had their Chitenges for opposition political parties torn,” they said.And the UPND cadres have appealed to Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani to talk to the ruling party officials in order to avoid loss of lives as they had embarked on beating the electorates in the area.

The opposition party members said some of their cadres that sell in the markets have been warned and told to support the ruling party if they wanted to return their stands in the markets.

They condemned the violence being perpetuated by members of the ruling party saying it should not be tolerated by any peace loving Zambian.

They have since appealed to the Zambia Police Service to exhibit professionalism and treat all Zambians fairly instead of serving the ruling party alone.